Dark Past, Searching for a Bright Future
by Arristo
Summary: Nico falls in love with the arrival of a new girl. And she loves him back. But she hides a past that's just coming back to haunt her... Rating's between K and K plus.
1. The Night Just Got Better

Hello! The name's Arristo. If you remember, I _was _the author of the Flying Games, but I deleted that, so don't bother to ask about it.

But now I am with a new story, and it's gonna be WAY better, so just read, rate, and review please!

Disclaimer (just to be safe): I don't Rio or any characters, except for a special someone...

* * *

"Yo Nico! You ready?"

"Pedro, you know I'm _always_ ready!"

Pedro and Nico were at the Branch, getting ready for their performance. The whole club was waiting for them to begin.

The two then came up on the small stage. The birds immediatly started cheering wildly.

"Alright everyone! Who's ready for the awesomest performence ever?" Pedro shouted. The cheers and screams was the response. "Awesomest?" Nico asked, smiling. "What? What's wrong with awesomest?" Pedro replied, folding his wings.

Nico rolled his eyes. "Just skip it. Let's get this party started!" Pedro gave a nod in response, and soon, the sounds of drums were heard.

"Hey look! Looks like Blu and Jewel made it too!" Nico pointed to a pair of blue macaws. Blu smiled awkwardly, while Jewel waved her wing to them. Nico and Pedro waved back, and they were ready...

Pedro cawed, and Nico sang:

_Party in the Ipanema baby!_

The drums sounded again, and the song began...

I_ want to party_  
_I want to samba_  
_I want to party_  
_I want to samba_

_I want to party_  
_And live my life (Pedro: live my life)_  
_I want to party (party)_  
_And flyyyyyyy_

Nico took off his bottlecap and patted it like a tamborine.

_I'm a fly, fly just like a bird_  
_(But you are a bird!)_  
_Oh yeah, you're right,_  
_So let me fly just like a rocket, then (ok)_  
_Fly so high where I need to come down for oxygen_  
_Cause once we start it, baby, ain't no ain't no stoppin' then_

Sounds of laughter could be heard. Blu was dancing his "moves" while Jewel was dancing along.

_Cause I just want to live my life, and party_  
_All I want is to be free, and rock my body_  
_Ain't nowhere around the world that I want to live my life_  
_In Rio_  
_Cause in Rio_  
_In Rio, I realize_  
_I want to party (party)_  
_I want to samba (party)_  
_I want to party (party)_  
_And flyyyyyy_

_[Pedro:]_  
_I'm that samba, samba_  
_Master, master, master_  
_Master, master_

_Who shouts out?_  
_I'm a get your blaster, blaster,_  
_Blaster, blaster, blaster_  
_You dance fast,_  
_But I dance faster, faster, faster_  
_Faster, faster_

Meanwhile, outside the club in the night, a small bird fluttered up to the entrance. It looked behind it's back before heading inside.

The unknown figure made it's way through the dancing birds, and soon found an empty spot near some wooden boxes. It sat down with a sigh, and watched the performance, swaying back and forth gently.

_You're too slow_  
_You need to catch up_

_You can dance, and dance, but I..._

_I want to party (party)_  
_I want to samba (party)_  
_I want to party (party)_  
_I want to samba (party)_

_I want to party (party)_  
_And live my life (live my life)_  
_I want to party (party)_  
_And flyyyyyyyyyyyyy_

_Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey_

Blu cawed as he and Jewel danced together.

_Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey_

Blu cawed again and then spun Jewel. She went up into the air...

_Laya Laya Laya Layaaaaaaaaaaaa_

"Whoo! Go Jewel Go Jewel!" Pedro shouted, doing a little dance. Nico laughed at his best friends little groove.

_Laya Laya Laya Layaaaaaaaaaaaaaa_

_Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey_

Blu cawed as Jewel landed back down. Most of the birds cheered or whooped.

_Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey_

BLu cawed once more

_Hey hey hey hey_

The drums then ended the song. The club burst into applause and cheers.

"Now who thought that was an awesome performance?" Nico shouted out, holding his bottlecap. The birds cheered like crazy.

"Alright everyone. We'll take a short break, and then it'll be the time for someone to volunteer to sing!"

The club was soon filled with samba, and the whole club resumed dancing. Nico and Pedro fluttered towards Blu and Jewel.

"Hey guys!" Jewel greeted them happily. "What's up lovebirds? How are the kids?" Pedro said.

"They just learned to fly this morning." Blu responded.

"That's great!" Nico said, smiling.

"It was, until _he_ almost had a heart attack." Jewel said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey! I thought the fell out of the hollow! I'm pretty sure you would've gotten scared if you were me!"

"They were old enough! Besides, before they did, I was going to teach them anyway."

Blu opened his beak to say something, but then reconsidered. "Good point." He muttered.

Jewel chuckled while Nico and Pedro laughed.

"Speaking of flying, I think we better fly over to Rafael's. We have to take our kids home." she said.

"Alright, but can you go first? I don't want to end up having a bunch of my feather being eaten."

"Blu, I'm sure Rafeal's kids would be in bed by now! Quit being a chicken!"

"Hey! I am not a-" Suddenly, Blu gave a short squawk. It sounded a lot like a chicken's cluck. "Chicken..."

Nico and Pedro tried to hold in their laughs, but it failed. The two were literally on the floor, laughing hysterically.

"Are you sure you're not a chicken?" Jewel giggled.

"Let's just go. I hate (squawk!) hiccups..." Blu grumbled as he left. "Bye you two." Jewel waved goodybye as he and Blu left the club.

Nico wiped a tear from his eye and he weakly got up. Pedrow as lying on the floor, trying to catch his breath.

"I _seriously_ will _not_ forget that." He said, out of breath. Nico kept taking some deep breaths before standing up straight. "C'mon man. We gotta get back on stage." Pedro got up and they flew back up to the stage.

"Okay! It's time for our volunteer!" Nico called out to the crowd. "Now you know the rules. Whoever is chosen by the spotlight has to be the volunteer for the night! And don't be shy!"

"Alright Kipo! Light that baby!" Pedro called out. Kipo nodded, and soon, a small spotlight appeared.

The light went around the club, shining on birds here and there. But then it slowly creeped up a pile of wooden boxes, where a few birds were arranged.

And it was where the unknown figure who had came earlier was at...

And as soon as light shone on the bird, Nico was starstruck...

* * *

A little cliffhanger huh? Whaddya think? Like it? Oh well, I'll update as soon as I can.

R&R! And see you soon in the next chapter!

~Arristo~


	2. Introduction, Singing, and Confusion

I'm back! Here's the chapter I said I would give you.

Disclaimer: I don't own the song in this chapter

* * *

Nico couldn't believe his own eyes. What he was seeing couldn't be real.

It was a girl. She was a canary just like him, with her golden feathers and brown tips on her feathers. But she had a tiny light pink flower placed in her left side of her head.

But it was her eyes who captured his attention. They were a deep, dark, brilliant aquamarine, and when they were in the light, they twinkled.

"Wow..." Nico breathed. But then he realized there was still a show to go on, so he snapped out of his trance.

"Okay! Come on down here! Don't be shy." He said, gesturing her to to the stage. Her eyes went wide, and very slowly, she got up. She was shaking slightly as she fluttered to the stage where Nico and Pedro were.

When she landed, Nico asked smoothly, "What's your name, sweetheart?" He immediately realized what he just said, but he shook it off. "L-Lanikai. But just call me Lani." She said. It was obvious that she was nervous.

"Lanikai... Are you from Hawaii?" Pedro asked. Nico elbowed him in the stomach. "What?" Pedro asked, confused, holding his stomach where Nico elbowed him.

"No. My m-mother was from Hawaii, and my father was born in San Paolo, and they named me Lanikai." She replied. "Oh..." Pedro said.

"Well Lani, what song you planning to sing?" Nico turned back to Lani.

"Um... Born This Way..." Lani responded.

"Now that, is a good choice." Nico smiled. Lani gave a small smile, sending Nico back into his little love trance. _She's so pretty. No, Beautiful! _He thought blissfully.

Suddenly, the sound of the song started. Nico blinked and quickly followed Pedro to the side of the stage. The lights dimmed, giving Lanikai her own spotlight.

The club fell silent and, in a soft, clear voice, she started singing...

_It doesn't matter if you love him, or capital H-I-M  
Just put your wings up  
'cause you were Born This Way, Baby_

_My mama told me, when I was young_  
_we are all born superstars._  
_She rolled my hair and put my lipstick on_  
_in the glass of her boudoir._

Some of the birds whistled in the club.

_"There's nothing wrong lovin' who you are,"_  
_she said, "'cause he made you perfect babe."_  
_"So hold your head up, girl and you'll go far,_  
_listen to me when I say."_

Suddenly, her voice changed from soft and delicate, to loud and proud.

_I'm beautiful in my way,_  
_'cause god makes no mistakes_  
_I'm on the right track baby_  
_I was born this way_

Nico was taken aback. Her voice was absloutely perfect!

_Don't hide yourself in regret_  
_Just love youself and you're set_  
_I'm on the right track baby_  
_I was born this way_

The wholoe club cheered at the amazing change. They even started dancing.

_Ooo there ain't no other way_  
_Baby I was born this way_  
_Baby I was born this way_  
_Ooo there ain't no other way_  
_Baby I was born -_  
_I'm on the right track baby_  
_I was born this way_

_Don't be a drag - just be a queen_  
_Don't be a drag - just be a queen_  
_Don't be a drag - just be a queen_  
_Don't be!_

Lani started swaying along with the song.

_Give yourself prud__ence and love your friends._  
_Subway kid, rejoice your truth._  
_In the religion of the insecure,_  
_I must be myself, respect my youth._

_A different lover is not a sin,_  
_belive capital H-I-M (hey hey hey)._  
_I love my life I love this record and_  
_mi amore vole fe yah (love needs faith)._

Her hips swayed back and forth, and she closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again.

_I'm beautiful in my way,_  
_'cause god makes no mistakes_  
_I'm on the right track baby_  
_I was born this way_

_Don't hide yourself in regret_  
_Just love youself and you're set_  
_I'm on the right track baby_  
_I was born this way_

Pedro turned and gave a nod to Kipo.

_Ooo there ain't no other way_  
_Baby I was born this way_  
_Baby I was born this way_  
_Ooo there ain't no other way_  
_Baby I was born -_  
_I'm on the right track baby_  
_I was born this way_

Different colored lights flashed through the club, illuminating every single bird.

_Don't be a drag - just be a queen_  
_Wheter you're broke a evergreen_  
_You're black, white, beige, chola descent_  
_you're lebanese, you're orient_

_Whether life's disabilities_  
_left you outcast, builed or teased_  
_Rejoice and love youself today_  
_'Cause baby you were born this way_

_No matter gay, straight, or bi,_  
_lesbian, transgered life_  
_I'm on the right track baby_  
_I was born to survive_

Lani gave her singing a energetic boost. She sang louder, smiling. Everyone cheered.

_No matter black, white or biege_  
_chola or orient made_  
_I'm on the right track baby_  
_I was born to be brave_

_I'm beautiful in my way_  
_'cause god makes no mistakes_  
_I'm on the right track baby_  
_I was born this way_

She waved her wings slowly in the air, adding to her small dance.

_Don't hide yourself in regret_  
_Just love youself and you're set_  
_I'm on the right track baby_  
_I was born this way_

_I was born this way, hey!_  
_I was born this way, hey!_  
_I'm on the right track baby_  
_I was born this way, hey!_

_I was born this way, hey!_  
_I was born this way, hey!_  
_I'm on the right track baby  
_  
Then, on the final line, Lani started out slow...

_I was born... This..._

Suddenly, she sang, reaching the perfect note up above, in a very loud voice, and holding it there...

_Way!_

As she sang that, the club burst into a wild applause, and kept it that way when Lani stopped singing. Pedro was whooping, but Nico, that was different. He flew up to her and said, "That. Was. AWESOME!"

Pedro flew up, landing next to Nico. "Girl, you were rockin' out! You were all like," Pedro then tried imitating Lani's voice. "_My mother told me when I was young. _Like all soft and pretty. And then were like, WAY!" Pedro made a flat, high-pitched loud voice.

Nico covered his ears, while Lani flinched back. Most of the birds laughed, but then covered their ears too. Nico quickly punched Pedro in the stomach, making the loud noise stop. "...Ow!" Pedro grabbed his stomach in pain.

Lani laughed as Pedro tried to punch Nico back, but missed repeatedly. "Um... you guys?" Lani took one step, and with one wing, she got between the duo and pushed Pedro away, holding him there.

Pedro kept flinging his wings, trying to get Nico, but Lani didn't move a muscle. Pedro couldn't get anywhere closer to Nico, so he gave up. "Man, girl you're strong!" He said, as Lani placed her wing down. She smiled, and said, "Thanks Pedro."

Lani was then about to say something else when she saw something in the crowd. She turned and squinted, trying to find the thing that caught her eye. Suddenly, she saw it.

There, in the very back of the club, thought Lani could see it very well, was a small, tan chaffinch. Lani's eyes widened. She knew that bird anywhere.

"Uh... excuse me..." She said suddenly. Before anyone could say anything, she darted to the back of the club. Some of the birds had to duck.

Nico and Pedro looked at each other, both had confused faces on them. "Okay..." Pedro just said blankly. "Here, you keep everyone busy. I'll go see what's up." Nico explained.

Pedro smiled. "Ohh... You just want to cavth her heart, don't you? You love her!"

Nico rolled his eyes. "Pedro, two reasons." He held his wing up. "One. I hardly met her. And two, you don't just see a bird who just sang, and then just goes to the back of the club, don't you?"

"Well... No..." Pedro started to say. "Good, now keep everyone busy." Nico flew to the back of the club where Lani had flown. He landed, but he didn't see her. But he turned and just saw Lani walk out of a small hole that led outside. Nico followed her, ducking to get through.

Meanwhile, Pedro called out, "Yo Kipo! How about breaking out those moves over here?" The roseate spoonbill flew down to the stage, breaking out his moves. Every birds cheered and started dancing along.

* * *

Nico came outside, lifting up the tarp that blocked his way. He looked around, but he didn't see Lanikai anywhere.

Suddenly, he heard a voice. Nico turned around and saw Lanikai up had flew up to the top of the roof. He followed silently up to the roof, but he ducked so he wouldn't be seen.

Where Lani was, she was on the roof. in front of her was the tan chaffinch that she had seen earlier. "C-Carol...?" She gasped.

"Lani. Sweetheart. It's been years..." Carol said in a motherly tone. "B-but you were in Brasilia after you, um, left after your son passed. H-How did you g-get back here?" Lani stuttered.

"I flew. You knew how fast I could fly Lani." Carol smiled, giving a small wink. Lani just stood there, but she smiled. Carol opened her wings and the two embraced.

Nico watched as Lani wrapped her wings around something. He couldn't see anyone else since Lani was in front of him. So he flew up to her, and said, "Um... Lani?"

Lani jumped, as well as Carol. "N-Nico? W-what are you... How?"

"I'm sorry if I interrupted your conversation. WHo were you hugging, exactly?"

"What? You were spying on me?" Lani playfully punched Nico in the wing.

"Well... uh...yes." Nico took off his bottle cap and fiddled with it. Lani just stared at him. "What? Is there something in my beak?" Nico asked.

"No. I like your feathers. You actually look handsome without your bottlecap." Lani rubbed Nico's head feathers. Nico grinned. "Thanks. So, your... friend?"

"Oh! I'm sorry! Nico, this is my family friend, Carol. She came from Brasilia." Lani took a step aside to let Nico see the tan chaffinch, who was just standing there patiently.

Except... he didn't see any chaffinch. In fact, there wasn't any bird or anything at all...

"Uh, did she leave without telling you?" Nico pointed next to Lani. "What? No. She's right here! Next to me!" Lani pointed to the spot that Carol was. But Nico _still_ didn't see anybody. He rubbed his eyes, but no...

"Lani... I don't see anyone..."

"But s-she's right h-here! Can't you see her Nico?" Lani was starting to go pale.

"Lani-"

"Watch, I-I'll prove it! Carol, tell us where you born." Lani looked at Carol. "I was born here. Just beyond the Christ Redeemer statue." Carol explained.

"See? She was born here!" Lani told Nico.

Nico was officially freaked out now. Was Lani seeing things? Or maybe he wasn't seeing clearly? He rubbed his eyes repeatedly and even slapped himself.

Nothing.

"Nico, I'm serious. She's right here... I swear..."

Nico gripped her shoulders with his wings. "Lani, listen to me." Lani grew scared but she just nodded.

"It's just you and me. There is nobody else here..."

* * *

Uh oh. What's going on here? You'll have to wait to find out...

R&R! And see you soon in the next chapter!

~Arristo~


	3. How Can This Be?

What up? Here's chapter 3! And, thanks for the support by the way. Even the smallest number of reviews can help :) Keep reviewing please!

* * *

"Nico... Please... I'm dead serious-" Lani tried to say, only to be interrupted by a tap on her back. She turned her head and saw Carol.

"Lani, I must leave. Goodbye honey." Carol said gently. She then flew up into the sky. "Carol wait!" Lani yanked out of Nico's grip and was about to go after the chaffinch, but Carol faded away.

Lani just stood there, motionless, staring out into the night. She then walked over to the edge of the roof and sat down, burying her head in her wings with a sigh.

Nico, who was still trying to figure out what was going on, slowly walked up to her. He sat down with a small _plop_ and just stared.

"Well?" Lani asked.

"Well what?" Nico replied, confused.

"Are you going to keep telling me that Carol doesn't exist?"

"Lani, I'm not sure what you saw, but whatever you _did_ see, I didn't."

"Nico, either you weren't looking at all or you were just joking, which is _not at all _funny, I don't know. But Carol _was_ there."

She turned her head away, looking down at the ground with a sigh. Nico just stayed silent.

"If you were joking Nico-" She started to say, her voice filling up with anger.

"Lani, I swear on samba that I wasn't." Nico

"Then how come you didn't freaking see her!" Lani screamed, her eyes glittering with fury. Nico jumped back in fright. He jumped high enough for his bottlecap popped up into the air before falling on his face. He adjusted it back on his head.

Lani turned away with her eyes squeezed shut. She sniffed and started quivering, as if she was ready to start crying.

Nico scooted over a bit closer to her, wrapping one his wings around her shaking body. Lani didn't even bother to move away. "Look Lani, I'm sorry..." Nico started to say.

Lani shook out of Nico's wing and stood up suddenly. Nico almost fell back, but he regained his balance as he stood up too. Lani turned to him, her eyes starting to tear up. "I-I'm sorry, b-but I- I can't-" She then flew off.

"Lani, please!" Nico took off after her. She was way ahead of him, so Nico had to speed up. He was going to, but he stopped in mid-flight. He watched sadly as she flew into the jungle, and then disappeared. Nico landed carefully on the ground, and with a sigh, he went back inside the club.

He flew up to the left side of the stage, where Pedro, and also a huge group of other birds, was watching Kipo dance, who was shaking a pair of maracas. Pedro saw Nico coming and moved over some so Nico could land.

"So... did ya kiss her?" Pedro asked.

"What? No." Nico said with a sigh. Pedro frowned. "Man, what is it? Did she turn you down?"

"Pedro, I didn't try to make out with her at all!" Nico said angrily. He took a deep breath. "Look, I'll explain later."

Pedro nodded. "Fine by me. Kipo was just about to do the moonwalk!" The two turned to Kipo on the stage, watching. Kipo's moves actually got Nico's mind off of Lani...

* * *

Lani could barely see anything in the dark, especially when her eyes were watery and filled with tears, but nevertheless, she found her hollow. She landed and immediately ran to her nest.

Lani sat down, her tears finally falling down her face. She hugged her knees and silently rocked back and forth. "Why didn't he see her? I did!" She thought out loud.

She then felt a wing suddenly laid on her shoulder. Lani grew still and she slowly turned around.

A green and yellow parakeet was there, giving a small smile. Lani gasped in fright, and she backed away. "Whoa there! No need to get scared!" The parakeet said, holding his wings up, as if he was going to surrender.

Lani, clutching her chest, backed off into the farthest corner of her hollow, trembling madly.

"Jacob..." Lani gasped. She was very close to start hyperventilating.

Jacob walked towards her. Lani shrank back in fear, turning pale. "It's alright." Jacob whispered gently.

He held out his wing, and Lani stood up slowly. He put his wing down walked to the middle of the hollow, Lani in slow pursuit.

"Jacob. Is it seriously you?" Lani asked.

"The one and only." Jacob replied.

"B-but you're... you're... you're d-dead..."

Her aquamarine eyes suddenly popped as everything flew into her mind. "Oh no..." She gasped. Her little legs suddenly buckled.

_It's happening again... _She thought. "Oh indeed it is. And for Carol, she told me that she died of illness, and she wanted me to tell you that." Jacob spoke in a soft, spooky voice. He chuckled, and disappeared.

Lani just stood there, shaking. She then couldn't hold it in anymore. Her vision faded and she slowly, ever so slowly, collasped in her nest, unconscious.

* * *

So there's a hint... Or is it the big surprise? Oh well. You guys decide.

Plus, this chapter is shorter than the other chapters. It's because I put the songs in the other two, which made it longer.

Anywho, I'll see ya in the next chappie, so R&R please!

~Arristo~


	4. Fun and the Truth

Chapter 4! Woohoo! Sorry if I took a little long. I was kind of busy, but here ya go :)

* * *

"... And then she just flew away." Nico concluded.

Pedro was bug-eyed right now. "Are you serious?" Nico nodded in response.

The sun had came up a couple of hours ago. After they had gotten some sleep, Nico had told the whole story to Pedro about his encounter with Lani.

"Okay, so... you're sure she wasn't hallucinating?"

Nico shrugged. "I'm not sure, but she said she really did see Carol." Pedro nodded slowly. "Dude, that's just scary." "I know" Nico nodded.

"Hey, I have a question." Pedro asked.

"What?"

"... Who's Carol?" He suddenly gasped with delight. "Can I meet her?"

Nico facepalmed with a groan. "What?" Pedro asked. Nico removed his wing from his face. "C'mon. We gotta go over to Ralfy's to help with the kids."

"Aw man..." Pedro groaned. "I don't feel like getting my feathers eaten."

"We promised him, Pedro." Nico said. Pedro sighed. "Fine."

"Oh, and Pedro?"

"What?"

"_You're_ the "monster" this time." Nico smiled. Pedro's eyes grew many sizes and Nico darted ahead, laughing. "I'm gonna kill you!" Pedro shouted, flying after the canary.

* * *

_"Where am I?"_

_Lanikai stood up and looked around. She was in some dark jungle, and by looking up, she was on the ground. Lani didn't know where she was, so she was just going to take off to have a look from the sky when a voice cried, "Wait!"_

_Lani quickly turned around towards at the voice. It was Carol. "Carol?" Lani ran over to her._

_"Lanikai, listen to me." The chaffinch said. Lani nodded in response. "You're going to to be in grave danger. All the ghosts that you'll see, they're not going to be as kind as we are," Carol explained. __"They'll give you the worst nightmares, they'll want your help, and if you don't act quickly, you'll be stuck like this for good."_

_Lani was terrified. "B-But h-how?" She stammered._

_Carol sighed. "I'm not sure. But, as for the way to prevent this, I guess it'll be up to you, my dear." The chaffinch suddenly faded away._

_"Wait! Carol! How do I stop this?" Lani called out, but there was no response. Suddenly, the next thing she saw was darkness closing in on her..._

Lani sat up like a rocket, breathing rapidly. Streams of sunlight filled in her hollow. She looked around wildly, and when she saw that she was in her hollow, her breathing slowed down. But then she remembered last night, and the nightmare.

"That nightmare..." Lani gasped. "I-It can't be real..." She sighed and got up. Maybe if she ate some breakfest, she'll forget about it.

She flew out of the hollow and into the jungle. She kept flying around until she spotted a single peach tree. Lani looked carefully before grabbing the right peach.

She landed on a branch, and ate half of the juicy, sweet fruit. She carried the rest of the fruit to her hollow, saving it for later.

"That fruit looks good..." A small, innocent, child-like voice said. Lani jumped and turned. A small military macaw, which looked no older than 3 years, was perched on the edge of her hollow.

The baby bird was holding a small twig with a few tiny green leaves on it in the child's wing, like it's own teddy bear.

_I didn't even hear her, or him come in here! _Lani thought. She sighed. It was just a child though. "What's your name?" Lani asked the little macaw. "Katie." The little macaw responded.

"How did you get here hon'?" Lani continued. "I flew. I saw your food and I was hungry." Katie said.

"Are you?" Lani took a piece of peach and gave it to Katie. The macaw was about to take it, but she suddenly turned pale, and she cried in pain.

Lani's eyes popped. "Are you alright?" She bent next to the child. She wrapped a wing around Katie, but her wing suddenly went through her.

"Oh... you're a ghost..." Lani said.

Katie nodded sadly. "I don't know why, or how. But my mommy didn't like me, and daddy was away."

Lani gasped. "Oh, poor baby..." She whispered. Suddenly, she remembered Carol saying, _"They'll want your help, and if you don't act quickly, you'll be stuck like this for good."_

"Katie, I'm going to fly around for a little while. You can rest in my bed if you want." Lani said. Katie walked to Lani's nest wand laid down. Lani then flew out of the hollow.

* * *

Lani was flying over the jungle, thinking, _What am I doing? It was just a nightmare..._

But in the back of Lani's mind, it was telling her it wasn't. "If I could help her out, maybe, just maybe, I can solve this..." She told herself. "But maybe a little help would make this easier."

And just at that moment, she heard a yelp. Lani turned just to see a Red-Crested cardinal and a yellow canary with a bottlecap flying right past her, along with some baby Toco Toucans flying at supersonic speed behind them.

"What in the world?" Lani looked from one side to the other, watching them fly. She then saw them land ina bush, while the baby toucans were flying around, looking for them.

Silent as a stone, she glided towards the bush, and saw Nico and Pedro cowering behind leaf. "Guys?" She whispered. Pedro yelped while Nico hid behind Pedro. "O-Oh. I-It's just Lani." Pedro said.

"Lani? Thank samba it's you..." Nico poked his head from behind Pedro. "Why were you being chased by some baby toucans?" Lani asked.

"T-They a-are not just Toucans..." Pedro stuttered. "T-Those are m-monsters..."

"What?"

"They eat people's feathers! They're vicious..." Pedro squeaked. The two then hid further into the bush.

"Come on, guys. Get out of the bush." Lani said. "No!" Nico and Pedro said in unison.

Lani tried not to laugh. "Alright, if I get these so called "monsters" out of your way, will you come out?"

"... Maybe." Pedro said. Lani rolled her eyes and flew up. She saw the group of toucans attacking a scarlet macaw. "Oh, looks like they do eat our feathers... Wait a minute..." Lani recognized the toucans from somewhere.

Nico and Pedro slowly poked their heads out of the leaves to watch.

"Hey kids!" Lani yelled out. The toucans stopped jumping on the poor macaw and turned. "Stop jumping on him! He's not a nest, so get away right now."

At first, they didn't move, but then one of them gave a small chirp and, to Nico and Pedro's and also the macaw's surprise, they flew towards Lani in a group. Nico and Pedro looked at each other, their eyes wide and beak's wide open.

"Now stop attacking strangers, or I'll call your mother! Got it? Now go home." Lani spoke with discipline. The toucans shrank in fear at the sound of the word "mother", and they flew away.

Lani smiled and landed back at the bush, where Nico and Pedro were waiting. They stared at her with their beaks agaped. "How... did you... do that...?" Pedro asked in awe. Lani grinned. "I've handled kids a lot."

Nico started, "But no one's ever been able to do that! Well, except-"

"Rafael and Eva?" Lani finished Nico's sentence. The two stared again, "You know Rafi?"

"Yep, since I was little."

"Whoa..."

Lani chuckled a little and started to say, "Anyway, you guys-" When they all heard a voice calling, "ATTACK!" THey looked up and saw the group of Toucans flying right towards them.

"Looks like they thought I wasn't looking." was all Lani could say before she stepped back and Nico ducked. Pedro, however, was too late. "AAHHHH!" He yelled and darted away, the kids right on his tail.

Nico and Lani watched as Pedro flew in several directions, along with the toucans. "Ay Caramaba." Lani shook her head, and flew off, calling, "Hey! Get away from him now!" Nico then followed her.

* * *

Several minutes later, Lani got the kids off of Pedro, who had lost a few of his feathers, and had them sit on a branch for a minute.

Pedro squeaked and hid behind her. "Monsters..." He peeped. Lani laughed, rolling her eyes. "Don't worry." She turned to the toucans. "Kids, go home to your hollow. And if I see you eating people's feathers again, I'll get your mother. That means you Marco."

One by one, the baby toucans flew away, and disappeared.

"Man, don't I wish I can be like you. We would have less feathers eaten if they listened to us like that." Nico said.

"Why were you being chased anyway? I know that they only eat feathers if you either make them made or if you fall for their "cuteness"." Lani asked the duo.

"Because these guys always want to play this game called Monsters and Bait, and usually, _we_ are the bait. Though sometimes we become the monsters, the bait always gets us." Nico explained.

Lani laughed, "Oh, okay." Suddenly Pedro interuppted, "Hey Nico, I think I'm going to head home. Those little things made feel worn out." And before anyone could say anything, he darted off.

Nico sighed, "He always falls asleep after that." Lani chuckled, then said, "How do you guys even manage to play that game? You know, before you become themonsters and get chased by the bait."

A somewhat playful, evil smile formed on Nico's beak. "Well, when we're the monster, we usually do... THIS!" And st that moment, Nico lunged for her.

Lani took one step, and Nico missed, but he saved his fall by flapping his wings. He looked at Lani, confused on how she dodged so fast. "If you want the bait, come and get it!" Lani told him, and flew off.

Nico laughed and chased after her. "Come back here, bait!"

The two canaries then got into a playful chase. Lani turned to see Nico catching up, and she flew straight up. Nico followed, but as he almost reached her, she darted straight down. "Ah!" Nico darted after her again.

He suddenly saw her fly by a tree, but then disappeared. Nico flew towards it, but didn't see her. He called out, "Lani? Where'd you go?" and flew to the next tree.

Meanwhile, on the top branch between many leaves, Lani watched Nico fly off. She giggled, knowing he wouldn't find her.

But just as she waited, something grabbed her from behind. With a yelp, she stumbled back. She then saw Nico, laughing hysterically. Lani smiled evily and lunged towards him, and they both landed on the branch.

"Wow!" Nico said, out of breath. Lani laughed, and Nico joined in too. They then just laid on the branch, staring out in the sky.

"I feel like a kid again." Lani chuckled. "So do I." Nico said, stretching his wings out a little bit and letting them fall, but then he touched something. He looked and saw that he was holding Lani's wing.

"Oh! Sorry." Nico took his wing away. Lani gave a warm smile. "It's okay." Nico nodded and turned to the sky again.

"So tell me," Nico sat up. "How did you see Carol if I didn't?" He suddenly realized that he just made a big mistaked, because Lani's smile faded away, and she grew still.

"N-Nevermind. It's none of my buisness..." Nico assured. "No it's okay. I can tell you." Lani said, her voice a bit tight.

"Are you sure-"

"Yes. I have to tell you anyway..."

"...Okay then."

Lani sighed and took a deep breath, and said, "It's because... I can see the dead..."

* * *

Well, there's chapter 4. I'll see ya in the next one!

~Arristo~


	5. The Idea

Hello! Chapter 5 awaits you... So read please!

* * *

For a long time, there was silence. Neither canaries said any word. Nico was wide-eyed, but Lani had her head hung low, looking in the other direction.

Lani just sat there, waiting. She expected Nico to become creeped out, then leave. Or maybe call her weird, and make fun of her. Oh, and possibly tell all of Rio about her. Just like most of the other birds she encountered.

Yes, she braced herself for it, _again_.

But what had happened, was nothing like she had though of. Instead, Nico scooted closer to her, embracing her in a hug. " God Lani, I'm so sorry."

"What?" Lani was stunned. This was the first time someone had felt bad for her after revealing her secret. "You're... You're not creeped out?"

"Well, sorta. But no. Why?"

"Well... I was kinda expecting you to look at me weird or something, then fly away..."

Nico let go and straightened up. "Why would I do that? You're like my best friend." "That's what everyone else said, but then when I told them, they would tell everyone, 'Oh No! Look out! It's the girl who can see ghosts!' " Lani folded her wings against he chest and sighed.

"So is that why you didn't want to say anything? You're afraid that no one's going to see you the same?"

"... Yes."

Nico stood up, then helped Lani up as well. "Well, not me. That's for sure." He tilted his bottlecap a little with a smirk.

Lani smiled and hugged Nico with joy. "Thanks Nico." She then let go.

"Also, Nico, I had this dream last night. I saw Carol again."

"What happened?"

Lani then explained what had went on in the dream she had, and when she was finished, Nico asked, "So Carol says that it's up to you to stop it. How are you going to do that?"

"That's the thing. I don't know..."

An idea popped up into Nico's mind. "I have an idea. C'mon." Nico then took off while Lani followed.

* * *

"No way!" Blu said to Nico.

"Come on Blu! You have to help me on this one!" Nico pleaded. "Nico, I know a lot about ghost stories, but I am _not _a ghost expert." Blu said.

"Please? You still owe me a favor for hating on samba!" Nico pointed out. Lani, who was waiting in the entrance, gasped. How could anyone hate samba?

"He's right Blu." Jewel came by, along with the kids, Buster, Kinski, and Rose. "Uncle Nico!" They all cried in unison, and ran over and clung onto Nico, squeezing him tight. They even knocked off his bottlecap.

"Ah! Whoa, um guys, can't breathe..."

Jewel quickly got the kids off Nico, who grabbed his bottlecap and put it on.

Blu opened his beak, but shut it immediately. "Alright." "Yes!" Nico cheered.

"Daddy! Can we play at the beach? Please?" Buster said, tugging his father's wing. "Not now Buster." Blu said. "Please daddy? Please?" Rose and Kinski joined in.

"Kids, not now, okay?" Blu spoke to the three little macaws. They all frowned, "Okay daddy. Can we play daddy is a trampoline?"

"Okay, you can play- Wait, what?"

Suddenly, the three kids knocked their dad to the ground, bouncing on him like he was some kind of soft pillow. Jewel shook her head, smiling.

As the two canaries, and Jewel, watched Blu get pounced on by his own kids, despite his efforts to get them off, Lani whispered to Nico, "I don't think he's much like everyone else."

"He was raised in America by his owner, Linda." Nico explained.

"Ah. So that's kind of why he's different. It's kind of weird though."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, it's just that he seems..." Lani thought for a moment for the right word. "Corny."

Nico stifled a laugh, but it just came out as a chuckle. "It's actually true." He explained. Lani did a double take and tried not to laugh, so it came out as a giggle.

"Jewel! Help!" Blu cried as Rose jumped on his stomach. "Aye yai yai." Jewel muttered, then told the kids, "Kids, stop bouncing on your father, he's not a trampoline."

The kids obeyed, and as they got off, Blu gave a very loud gasp, and he tried to catch his breath. "Cheese and sprinkles. How do you do that?" He exclaimed. Lani giggled hard, and Nico was dying to let his laughter out. Jewel just smiled, saying, "Mothers have their ways."

Blu got up and shook his feathers up a little bit. "Jewel, can you watch the kids for me? I've have to help Nico."

"Okay Blu, and make sure you get some fruit on your way back, 'kay?"

Nico caught his breath and Lani let out a _huge_ sigh, but a big smile was still on her face. "Okay, let's go."

Lani, Nico, and Blu then came out of the hollow, and they landed in a big branch. "Alright, I got an idea. Just follow me." Blu motioned to them and he flew up, the two canaries behind them. "Blu! Where exactly are we going?" Nico cried from behind.

Blu replied, "To the Blu Bird Sanctuary!"

* * *

Short chapter, I know, I've been busy, but hey, a cliffhanger! What is Blu going to do? I'll see ya'll later with another chapter. Bye-bye.

~Arristo~


	6. A Hint

Hello! A fast update, but once again, a kind of a small chapter. I'm still busy, but when summer comes, things will be a little more different.

* * *

"The Internet..._Seriously_?" Nico asked as Blu opened up the Internet browser on the computer. He then opened up Google.

"Well, what you'd expect? Okay..." Blu clicked on the search bar on Google and typed in: **help on seeing ghosts**

With a click, Blu scrolled down through the websites. "WikiAnswers... No... Ghostbusters... Nope... Ghost costumes for sale... Moving on... Aha!" Blu clicked on the link, and a website came up, reading: Seeing Ghosts with the Reasons.

"Is that it?" Lani asked. "Yeah. Um... Okay, reasons... reasons... here." Blu clicked on a word and a document came up. "Whoa. This may take a while guys. It's pretty long..."

Nico shrugged. "Alright, just read it and tell us what they got." He and Lani then sat down, and Blu started reading, though there was a very confused look on his face.

A few minutes passed, then it became five, then ten, then twenty. Lani leaned against Nico, a blank expression on her face, while he fiddled with his bottlecap, tossing it into the air a few times.

* * *

Over a half an hour later, Blu was _still_ reading. Lani was laying face up on Nico's chest, asleep. Nico was out too, his bottlecap covering most of his face. "I'm guess I'm done!" Blu suddenly shouted.

"Who what where?" Lani shot up, accidentaly smacking Nico in the face, making him wake up too. "Oh! Sorry!" Lani apologized. Nico adjusted his bottlecap, asking, "You finished?" He gave a loud yawn.

"I guess, though it was weird. All it talked about was the website's founders and-" Blu did a double take and looked at the screen again. "Wait a minute..."

Blu groaned loudly and facepalmed. "What?" Nico asked. "I'm so stupid. Stupid stupid stupid." Blu bonked himself on the head.

"What?"

"I opened up the wrong page..."

Nico's eyes popped. "WHAT?" He cried. Lani groaned with a facepalm. "A half an hour Blu... And you were reading the wrong document?" Nico said. "Don't rub it in..." Blu muttered.

"Let me see." Lani came up to the computer and hopped on top of the mouse. She set one foot on the wooden desk and dragged the mouse with the other. The mouse cursor moved and Lani looked at the links carefully. Then with a tap, she clicked on a word, and another document came up.

"Is this it?" Lani asked. Blu looked at the screen, and his jaw dropped. "Yep..."

"You can use the computer?" Nico asked. "No, but by watching Blu for about twenty-five minutes, I think I figured it out." Lani replied with a shrug.

"Alright. Before we get started, Blu, is this as long as the other one? 'Cause if it is, then I'm ready to go back to sleep." Nico spoke to the blue macaw. "Hmm... Nope, not that long." Blu came over to the mouse and scrolled down.

"Okay, it says that most people see ghosts because of events that have occured. There are many reasons, but the most common are seen below."

Blu scrolled down the screen. "Okay. Lani, I need you to tell me if any of these happened to you." Lani came up to the computer next to Blu.

"First, anything happen during birth? No temporary defects?"

"Nope."

"Any injury that happened to you?"

"No."

"Loss of... um... dignity?"

"..."

"Definitely not. Okay, any memory loss?"

"Negative."

"That's the last one then." Blu sighed. Lani's shoulders slumped. Now what? "Hang on... There's one more..." Blu squinted at the page.

"It says, an event that has traumatized the victim in any way."

Nico noticed Lani grew still, and her eyes lost their twinkle. Her face also lost some of it's color. "Uh... Hm..." She tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out of her beak.

She couldn't let them out.

"Lani?" Nico asked, coming over to her, but she scooted away. "Is that a no? Or a yes?" Blu questioned. "I-I..." Lani stammered. Tears were starting to fill her eyes, and she turned around, taking off. She flew out the open door that they had came through.

"Lani! Wait!" Nico darted off after her. Blu was left alone. "Now what?" Suddenly, he heard another door open. Blu quickly clicked the tab and went out the door, closing it carefully, then headed out into the jungle, to his hollow.

Just as he did, Tulio came into the room. He sat down in the leather chair and clicked on the Internet link. The tab came up, showing Tulio the website.

A confused look came upon the avian doctor's face, and then he yelled towards the door, "Dr. Damien! Are you researching ghost stories again?"

Tulio shook his head and closed the page, then opened another one.

* * *

Oh... Cliffhanger! What's gonna happen? Find out soon!

~Arristo~


	7. Trying to Help

Yes! Summer Time! WHOO! That means faster updates! But sorry if _this_ update was slow. I had gone camping after my last day of school and just got back a few days ago. And I am attending a summer camp (for fun) until the end of June, so updates will come from either Wednsday or Thursday to Sunday.

Anyway, I'll just shut up now and you can read :)

* * *

"Lani! Lani!" Nico kept calling out to the canary way in front of him.

But Lani didn't hear him. She kept flapping her wings as hard as she could. She wiped a tear from her eye and flew faster. _They can't know..._ She thought.

Nico was feeling tired, but neverthless, he flew faster, trying not to lose his bottlecap in the process. "Lani!" he cried. Lani didn't even have to look to know that Nico was catching up.

So without warning, she took a sharp turn to the left.

Nico didn't see it coming. He kept flying straight, but then realized that she flew the other way. Coming to a halt, he made an air U-turn and flew back.

Lani then saw a few huge trees with big, leafy branches. Quickly she flew to one of them and hid behind the leaves. She adjusted her position so she was concealed behind the leaves, and sat down, hugging her knees. Silently, she waited.

Sure enough, she heard his voice. "Lani!" Peering through the leaves, she saw him land on a nearby branch, looking in every direction.

"Where are you?" Nico called. But Lani didn't speak a word. She stayed silent behind the leaves. "Lani, if you _were_ traumatized, you can tell me."

"I can and want to help. You're my best friend, and that's what friends do, help each other."

Nico looked around once more before sighing. Lani closed the leaves and just sat there,and even if she did close those leaves, she heard him say one other thing.

"Love you Lani..." There was then the sound of flapping wings.

Her scared, sad, aquamarine eyes looked down, her mind taking in everything that Nico had just said. Taking a deep breath, she came out from her hiding spot.

But she didn't see him.

Looking around, she found him flying away. Her wing reached out and she was about to call out his name, but she stopped. Her wing fell and she sighed deeply. She then flew away to her own hollow.

* * *

Nico landed silently in the hollow, his brown eyes filled with soft sorrow. In front of him was Pedro, in their nest, snoring away.

"DO you really have to sleep this much?" Nico muttered under his breath. He tiptoed around Pedro and laid down on the other side of the nest. He stared at the ceiling, the sunlight lighting it up. Soon it would be sunset.

"C'mon mom, it's a Saturday, five more minutes, please..." Pedro suddenly spoke, though he was still asleep, before snoring again.

Nico looked at him weirdly, before facing the ceiling. He was feeling tired, maybe a nap would help before they head to the club again tonight. So he rolled over onto his side.

Soon, he was asleep too.

* * *

Lani landed in her own hollow, stumbling a little from lading a little too hard. As soon as she landed, she began pacing back and forth, her mind going crazy. It was like she had two sides debating.

"Should I tell them?"

"No, you can't live through it again."

"But he said he can help."

"You won't be able to tell him without breaking."

"I can't go through this much longer..."

"So just shut up and ignore it!"

"No, I need someone to help, so you shut up!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes- Oh heck!" Lani cried, throwing her wings in the air. She fell onto her back. "I don't know what to do..." she muttered. "And he said... he... loves me..." Tears began to gather in her eyes, but she blinked them back.

"You've been gone a long time." A voice interuppted. Lani sat up, and saw Katie, holding her little twig teddy. "Oh, I forgot you were here..." Lani said, sniffing.

"Why are you sad?" Katie asked. "It's nothing..." Lani replied, rubbing her eyes. A thought suddenly occurred to her. She imagined Carol again, saying, All the ghosts you'll see... They'll want your help..."

"That's it..." Lani muttered to herself, an idea formed in her mind. She knew how to solve this. Or at least, thought she knew, but it was worth a shot.

"Katie, I have an idea. But I need your help."

"Okay."

* * *

Short. I know. But her story will be saved for chapter after the next chapter, which is after _this_ one.

Well gotta go now. R&R please! See ya later.

~Arristo~


	8. Finding Out the Answers

Hello! Sorry for the late update...

* * *

Lani flew high in the sky, with Katie right behind her. "Oak tree on Copacabana Beach... Oak tree on Copacabana Beach..." Lani kept muttering to herself so she wouldn't forget. The two then flew close to the sandy beach.

After talking briefly with Katie, Lani decided to figure out why Katie died, and so she decided to go to Katie's parents to ask about it.

Then, she spotted a huge oak tree off to the side. "Is that it?" Lani pointed to the tree. Katie nodded. Lani flew faster.

Soon, she landed on the brach right nest to the opening of the hollow. "Wait here." she told Katie, and came in front of the opening. "Hello?"

A military macaw came to her. "Who are you?" he asked. "Excuse me for intruding sir, but I would like to talk to you. It's about your daughter, Katie."

"Katie..." Mark's eyes grew wide and started filling with tears. "What do you know about my daughter?"

Lani took a deep breath, and said, "You see sir, I can see ghosts, and she came to me."

"The name's Mark. And how do I know that you're not lying?"

"I would never tell a lie about this sir, I swear."

Mark hesitated, but then said, "Very well, come in." Lani and Mark then came into the hollow, which had a huge nest, and a small nest, with a few leaves scattered around it. "That was probably Katie's nest." Lani mumbled.

Lani then said, "Sir, I need to know, when did Katie die, and how did she die?"

"About a month ago. But, I-I honestly don't know how. But, my wife, Sophia, found her dead one morning, and she had scratches all over her."

A voice suddenly interrupted, "MARK! Who's there?" A female military macaw came to the duo. She had a few black feathers on her back, but Lani didn't bother to ask.

"Are you Sophia?" She asked. "Yes." The macaw replied. "Sophia, this young lady needs to talk to us about, erm, Katie."

"Oh... My daughter..." Sophia frowned. "I remember that day..."

There was something odd. Lani didn't see any tears in Sophia's eyes, or any signs of breaking down, compared to Mark, who looked like as if he was going to faint.

"You don't really seem that sad though..." Lani asked.

"That's because I've gotten over it already."

"How long did it take?"

"A few days."

All of the pieces suddenly fell together, and Lani finally understood. "But that's impossible, because nobody can get over their child's death that quickly. And if I didn't know better..."

Sophia's eyes widened.

"Then I would say YOU must of killed her."

Mark gasped. "Me? Why would I kill my own child?" Sophia scoffed. "You didn't become upset when I mentioned your daughter and," Lani walked over to the small nest where it once was Katie's bed, and looked carefully, before pulling out a black feather. "You and Mark were the only ones in here when Katie died, and you're the only one with a few black feathers.

Sophia stuttered, trying to find an excuse, but she gave up. "Alright, it's true... I did it..."

Mark's eyes bugged out. "WHAT?"

"I'll leave you two alone." Lani stepped out of the hollow and onto the branch, where Katie waited. Lani put a finger to her beak and got a bit close to the opening, eavesdropping on the conversation between the macaws.

"Sophia... Why..." Mark whispered.

"Because Mark, I never wanted a child! All I wanted was us together, but then that stupid kid came into our world, and so I killed her while she was asleep."

Lani shuddered slightly. "Some mother..." she mumbled.

"Sophia..." Mark was at loss at words right now. "Don't you see honey? Our lives have been better without her. Less to feed and take care of, and more of us together." Sophia held out her wing, but Mark pushed it away.

"You are not my wife, Sophia. You were never my wife and never will be. Now. GET. OUT."

"Fine, I never wanted to be with you anyway. Adios, sucker." Sophia flew out of the hollow, never to be seen again.

Lani peeked into the hollow. Mark just stood there, not moving. Lani slowly walked in

"I never knew... Sophia..." Mark said.

"She was pretty good at hiding it." Lani replied.

"Thank you so much..."

"Think nothing of it sir..."

"If only I could see her again, for a moment..."

A small ball of light suddenly appeared in front of them. And to Lani's eyes only, Katie's face appeared in it. "Thank you." Katie told Lani. Lani smiled and then the ball disappeared.

Mark pointed to the spot where the light was. "W-what was t-that?" He asked, afraid. Lani turned to the military macaw and told him, "That was your daughter."

"My daughter..." Mark whispered. Lani took the flower out of her feathers, and handed it to the military macaw. "My condolences. Here, this is for her."

Mark took it into his wing. "Thank you..." Tears fell down his face, but it was joy.

Lani smiled, and saying her goodbye, she left the hollow, knowing that her job there was complete.

* * *

"Pedro, get up already!" Nico groaned loudly.

"No... Mom just five more minutes..." Pedro mumbled, turning onto his other side.

Nico sighed angrily. He had been trying to get Pedro up for the past 10 minutes, and apparantly, it wasn't going well.

"Pedro, if you don't get up, I'm leaving to the club, without you." Nico warned the red-crested cardinal. But Pedro still didn't get up.

Nico then got an idea. He grabbed a small leaf, and waved it in front of Pedro's beak. Pedro twitched and waved it away, but Nico kept going, until Pedro gasped, "Ah... Ah... AH..."

Nico got out of the way and Pedro sneezed, sending him out of the nest. His landing shocked him awake.

"CHECK PLEASE!" Pedro shouted, waving both wings in the air, before realizing that he was in his hollow. Nico was on the floor, laughing very hard. Pedro saw the leaf on his head and figured it out.

"Man, you know I hate that!" Pedro said angrily, folding his wings. "Well, you wouldn't get up. We gotta head to the club. It's almost night." Nico remarked, wiping a tear from his eye.

Nico was right. The sun had already set, and the stars were crawling in. "Oh samba! Come on!" Pedro darted ahead before Nico could say anything. Shaking his head, he started to follow, but then another bird passed by him.

Looking closely, he saw Lani. "Pedro! I'll meet you there in a minute!" Nico called out, before flying after Lani.

* * *

Lani fluttered and landed in her hollow. A big part of her was taken off her shoulders. "It must work..." she said.

Lani hoped that what she had done, it would help get rid of the whole ghost thing, and if it didn't, then Lani won't know what will.

"I'm pretty hungry." Lani came up to the peach she had gotten from earlier and picked a good-sized piece from it. She popped it into her beak and ate it well.

"Hey Lani?" a voice spoke without warning. Lani jumped and turned. Nico stood in the opening.

"Geez, don't scare me like that Nico!" She said. "Sorry." Nico grinned, walking in. "Want some peach?" Lani asked, showing him the peach.

"Nah, I'm good." Nico assured. Lani shrugged and popped another piece of peach into her beak.

"Lani, can I ask you a question?" Nico asked, moving his bottlecap on his head.

"Yeah, what?" Lani wiped a piece of peach away from her beak.

"Exactly what were you thinking when Blu asked you about being traumatized?"

Lani grew still, turning pale. "I-I can't t-tell you..." Lani stuttered. "Come on Lani, you can tell me." Nico said.

The event from earlier when Nico spoke about telling him came back to Lani's mind. Lani closed her eyes, then nodded slowly. "I-I can try..."

"Hold on." Nico went out the hollow and picked out a leaf.

Using his talon, he scratched out on the leaf:

_Pedro,_

_Gonna crash at Lani's hollow tonight. Be back tommorow._

_And NO I'm not making out with her. She needs comfort and is going through a rough time. So if you even THINK about asking me, then I'll get half of Rafi's kids and have them attack you._

_Nico_

Nico rubbed some of the leaf from his talons and saw a green finch pass by. "Hey! Excuse me!" Nico called out. The green finch turned and came up to the branch. "Nico! What do you need?" he asked.

"Take this to Pedro. He's probably at the club or at our hollow, so just tell him it's from me, okay?"

"Yes Nico!" The green finch took the leaf in his claw and flew off. Nico then came back into the hollow and sat down next to Lani.

"You ready?" he asked. "I-I don't know..." she spoke back. Nico wrapped a wing around her. "It's alright. I'm here."

Lani sighed. "Okay... Here it goes..." Lani took a deep breath...

And she began her tale...

* * *

R&R please!

~Arristo~


	9. The Story

Hello! Here's a fast update! And, here's Lani story! Drum roll...

* * *

_A young, teenage Lanikai was flying alongside with a taller canary like her. It was her father, Ethan. He had green eyes, and golden tip feathers that were darker than the rest._

_When she was younger, her mother died of a disease that was unknown. But Lani grew up just the same as always with her father._

_"Papa, did you really lose the game with Zeke and Julio?" Lani asked her father, fixing a tiny white lily in her head feathers._

_"They were cheating! I told you, I saw them handing over that queen of spades secretly!" Ethan responded._

_"I told you to pick out that 6 of diamonds! You would've won!"_

_"That doesn't mean I didn't win the penny!"_

_"Which you lost ten seconds later."_

_Ethan groaned and Lani laughed. They then came up to a place surrounded by some empty crates and a few tarps. Lani knew this place. The HangOut, it was called. It was like a club, built completely out of empty fruit crates, but it wasn't that crazy. They both headed inside._

_Inside were a lot of birds, talking to each other. Some were even break dancing. Lani smiled at the festivity, when a light blinded her. Shielding her eyes, she managed to see a large metal flashlight, controlled by a scarlet macaw._

_"Papa, doesn't that look heavy? This place is only supported by a few boxes, it might fall..." Lani asked her father._

_"Honey, it's been hanging there for five years. Don't worry. Hey, I see some of your friends." Ethan patted Lani on her back._

_Lani kept staring at it, before shrugging and coming up to a group of birds, while her father went to another group._

_"Hey guys!" Lani smiled. THe group of birds, which included a cockatiel, named Luna, a robin, named Ariana and raven, named Skyler. "Hey Lani! How've you been?" Luna greeted the canary. _

_"Good Luna. How's Sara?" Lani asked. Sara was Luna's younger sister. "Sara said her first word today." Ariana told her. "Really? Let me guess... Mama?"_

_"Sadly, yes, but I'll teach her my name somehow." Luna frowned._

_"Hey guys, you wanna dance?" Skyler then asked the group. Everyone nodded in agreement and headed towards the dance floor._

_For the moment, everything was wonderful. Lani was with her friends, she was having fun. Everything was alright._

_And then that moment ended..._

_Suddenly, there was a loud thud. Everyone stopped and turned to see a crate tumbling down. The birds jumped out of the way and the box sat there in the middle of the floor. "My bad!" the scarlet macaw, who worked the flashlight._

_Everyone shrugged and was about to continue what they had been doing, when there was a loud creak... Lani looked up and saw the ceiling move briefly, and realized something..._

_"That was one of the structure crates..." Lani whispered. And that meant..._

_The place suddenly started shaking. The lights were flickering on and off, and a few more boxes started falling. "This place is going to collaspe!" Luna screamed. Everyone screamed and headed towards the exit._

_"Lani, come on!" Ariana cried. __"Where's Papa?" Lani shouted. She flew up, searching frantically. "Papa! Papa!"_

_She spotted him helping a sparrow up. "Papa!" Lani flew towards him. "GO!" Ethan told the sparrow, who obeyed at once. "Lani, go! Get out of here!" Ethan started pushing Lani towards the exit._

_"Papa, come on! This place is going to collaspe!"_

_"I know, go!"_

_"I'm not leaving without-"_

_A few more crates fell. Lani and Ethan barely dodged them._

_"GO! LANIKAI, GO!" Ethan gave her a push, and Lani half-flew, half stumbled out to safety. Ethan was about to follow, but he turned and saw the scarlet macaw, who was struggling against the string wrapped around his foot. _

_Without thinking, Ethan flew to him and with his talons, he cut the rope off. "GO!" Ethan shouted._

_"Come on!" The scarlet macaw flew off, gathering everyone else inside and helped them out the entrance._

_Lani was breathing heavily outside. Turning around, she saw the whole place, which shook more, then suddenly collasped, and as the dust cleared, what was once the HangOut was now a pile of broken pieces of wood and a few rocks._

_"Is everyone alright? Nobody hurt?" A jenday conure shouted. Most of the birds nodded in agreement, while some had a few injuries, but nothing major._

_"Papa? Papa!" Lani called out through the crowd, searching desperately._

_A few blue and gold macaws began looking through the pile of wood for anyone who was trapped. After a few minutes, they found five birds, who were still alive, but pretty shaken up._

_After another search, there was nobody else. Lani sighed in relief to find that her Papa was not there. "Papa!"_

_"Wait! There's one more!"_

_"Lani!" She turned and saw Skyler calling her, her eye's wide. "What? What happened?" Lani asked, completely worried. Skyler didn't respond, but simply pointed to the mound. Lani turned, and screamed._

_The blue and gold macaw wiped away a few more bits of wood, before revealing a limp, golden body. "PAPA!" Lani cried. The blue and gold macaw came towards her. Lani immediately ran up to him, and saw her father._

_"P-Papa..." Lani whispered. Ethan coughed and opened his eyes wearily. He looked at Lani, then raised his wing, touching her face. Then, with a sigh, he fell limp. He was gone..._

_"Papa!" Lani started trembling. Her Papa was gone, just like her mother._

_"He's gone. I'm so, so sorry." The blue and gold macaw told her._

_The scarlet macaw who worked the huge flashlight, stepped in and said, "He saved my life."_

_Then, the sparrow from earlier came in too. "My life was saved as well, by him."_

_"He was a hero..."_

_Lani couldn't bear much more. She__ sank to her knees. The blue and gold macaw gently placed Ethan's body down. Lani stared at her Papa'__s body, before she started crying uncontrollably in front of it... _

* * *

"And after all of that, I ran off and lived in Sao Paolo with Carol, when she was alive, for about three years, then came here, to Rio. And ever since, I've been seeing ghosts..." Lani finished.

Nico was speechless. All of it was coming together. It was no wonder why see had the ability to see these things. Deaths were from her past, and they were haunting her now. He now understood.

"Lani..." He managed to get out. "I'm so, so sorry..." But Lani didn't seem to be listening. She was staring out in front of them, staring at the hollow wall.

She saw a tall, handsome male canary, with deep, green eyes and golden feather tips. Lani nearly shrieked, but held it in. She knew this bird anywhere, anytime, any place.

"Papa..." She whispered.

The male canary smiled sadly with a nod. He mouthed the words, "I love you" and faded away just as fast as he had come. A ghost.

Lani watched that very spot for a while. "Lani, are you alright?" Nico asked her. Lani buried her head in her wings and started crying.

Nico embraced her and she cried in his wings, her head buried in his chest. Nico rubbed her back, speaking softly to her.

He heard some soft music outside. Curious, he helped Lani sit down for a moment. Looking outside, he saw a group of chickadees playing music for a group of birds. Each chickadee had a different instrument. A twig guitar, two vine violins, and a mini keyboard, which looked like it was actually metal.

The music ended and the group of birds cheered. Then, they all left, and the chickadees packed up and started flying.

An idea popped into Nico's head.

"Hey!" Nico called. One of the chickadees noticed and came up to him. "Do you think you can play a song for us?" Nico whispered. The chickadee nodded, and Nico whispered the song in his ear. The chickadee whistled for his group, and they all gathered at the entrance, ready.

Nico took of his bottle cap, revealing a silver dime. "Thanks." Nico gave it to the chickadee, who inspected it, then bit it with his beak. It was good enough.

Nico came back to Lani. "You okay?" he asked.

Lani didn't answer, but she was trembling, and her beak quivered. Her face was wet with tears. She didn't even notice everyone outside. That was his answer.

Nico turned to the opening and gave a small nod. The chickadee nodded back and raised his wing towards his group. Then, one of them started playing his mini keyboard, playing the soft, sweet notes.

At the right moment, Nico started singing in a soft, flowing voice...

_See ya sleepin'_  
_On the ground_  
_See ya screamin'_  
_With no sound_  
_When your blanket starts to wear_  
_I'll be there_

_See 'em peekin'_  
_Every night_  
_Momma's beaten_  
_Don't know why_  
_When your tears begin to shed_  
_I'll be there_

Lani heard this and looked up at Nico, who was smiling. He held out his wing.

_In those times when you feel all alone_  
_Forced to find your way through worlds unknown_  
_Look ahead and don't be scared_  
_I'll be there_

At first, she hesitated, but she remembered that he was a friend, and he cared for her. She took it.

_I'll be there through the rough winds and rain and ice_  
_I'll be there when the night falls and troubles rise_  
_I'll be there when you need me_  
_No matter what how or when_  
_My friend_  
_I'll be there_

Nico helped Lani up to her feet and holding wings, they started swaying back and forth together. The keyboard was then joined by the twig guitar, as well as the vine violins.

Thunder softly boomed, and a light rain started falling. But everyone was safe and dry. Nico continued on...

_See 'em bleedin'_  
_No more smiles_  
_Goodbye letters_  
_On the ground_  
_When no one will spare their ears_  
_I'll be there_

_When your back's up_  
_On the wall_  
_Chronic failure_  
_You've been called_  
_When you feel there's no escape_  
_I'll be there_

Nico spun her around, and they both walked together around the hollow, as if they were ballroom dancing.

_I'll be there thr__ough the rough winds and rain and ice_  
_I'll be there when the night falls and troubles rise_  
_I'll be there when you need me_  
_No matter what how or when_  
_My friend_  
_I'll be there_

Nico spun her around again. Lani smiled and twirled, then coming to a stop.

_Whenever you're faced with what you feel like you can't bare_  
_Call on me and I'll be_  
_Beside you until the end_

Nico took her head into one of his wings, both staring into each other's eyes.

_Lift your head up and stand tall_  
_Promise I won't let you fall_  
_When you reach I will extend_  
_I'll be there_

_I'll be there through the rough winds and rain and ice_  
_I'll be there when the night falls and troubles rise_  
_I'll be there if you need me no matter what how or when_  
_My friend_

They both resumed their dancing, swaying gracefully around the hollow.

_I'll be there through the rough winds and rain and ice_  
_I'll be there when the night falls and troubles rise_  
_I'll be there when you need me no matter what how or when_

Nico spun her once more and held both of her wings in his.

_My friend_  
_I'll be there..._

As Nico finished his lyrics, the chickadee with the keyboard played the last notes, and then it ended.

They stopped dancing and Lani looked up at Nico. "Thank you..." She whispered. She placed her head back onto his shoulder, wrapping her wings around his neck gently. Nico embraced her, then slowly, he gave a small kiss on the top of her head.

Lani smiled peacefully and closed her eyes slowly. Nico saw this and gave the group a wink. They smiled back, and left silently as they could.

With Lani asleep in his wings, Nico gently laid her down in her nest, careful not to wake her up.

And as he laid down with her, the rain continued on, but most of the clouds in the sky gave away, letting a single moonbeam shine on the two canaries...

* * *

Sheesh, a bit of a long chapter. The song blongs to Tiffany Evans. Not me.

R&R please!

~Arristo~


	10. Lani's Decision

Hello there! Here's your chapter!

* * *

Nico woke up to the sound of wimpering. He rubbed his eyes and looked around. Th sun had already begun to rise. At first he freaked out, since this wasn't his hollow, but then he remembered that he was in Lani's hollow. But what was that wimpering?

Speaking of Lani...

Nico turned towards Lani and was shocked at the sight. Lani was pale, and trembling, giving out little gasps. She was wimpering. That was the cause.

"Lani..." Nico said, trying to wake her up. Lani's eyes shot open and she gasped. Nico almost fell out of the nest as she shot up, breathing rapidly. She looked wildly around the room, before managing to calm herself a little.

"Lani..." Nico grabbed his bottlecap that flew off and landed across the room and placed it on his head. Lani, still breathing like mad, looked at him, her eyes wide. "You okay? It's me..." Nico assured gently.

She didn't say anything, but did calm down a little more. Nico slowly approached, and then sat down next to her. "What happened?"

Lani's face flushed back with her original color as she gave out, "Nightmare..." She took deep breaths. "What was it?" Nico wrapped a wing around her. She shook her head, not wanting to talk about it. "Come on..." Nico said.

But she still wouldn't give in. "Lani..." Nico smiled and playfully poked her in her stomach. Lani smirked but didn't say anything. Nico continued, "Lani, come on Lani. Lani. Lani." Nico kept poking her. And when she started smiling, Nico began tickling her.

"Nico! Hey!" Lani started laughing, trying to get away, but Nico still kept going, smiling deviously. Lani squirmed and took his bottlecap. "Hey!" Nico let go, trying to recover his bottlecap. Lani laughed and got out of Nico's reach.

Lani flew up to the ceiling, holding his bottlecap in her claws. Nico followed her and they flew around the hollow, chasing each other. Nico managed to bring her down and tried to get his bottlecap, but she held firm. Nico kept tickling her, but even as she wriggled, laughing, she held onto his bottlecap.

"Give it back!" Nico cried happily, trying to grab it out of he wing. "Stop... tickling... me!" Lani gasped in between laughs. "Only if you tell me what happened in that nightmare!" Nico replied, tickling harder.

Lani threw his bottlecap on the other side of the hollow. Nico saw this and raced over to it. He placed it on his head with a smirk. Lani stood up, gasping for breath. "Geez... you... tickle... hard..." She smiled, catching her breath.

Nico chuckled. Lani heard this and punched him lightly in his wing. "Hey!" Nico held his wing away. Lani smiled and sighed.

"Alright, tell me, what happened in that nightmare?" Nico and Lani sat down together in the nest. Lani sighed and explained, "I was standing in some place that was dark. Then, I saw the HangOut, inside of it. Lots of birds were inside, and everything was fine... But then... I saw Papa, and y-you..."

She continued on. "I was walking towards you and Papa, but then some boxes started falling, just like what happened. Everyone was leaving, and the place was falling. I tried to get to you, but then I was being pulled back, and y-you and P-Papa were coming, but then I came outside, and the place shattered. I looked around, and... and I-I found both of y-you, in the remains. And, y-you and P-Papa w-were... d-dead..." Lani felt like breaking down.

"Whoa..." Nico breathed. Lani frowned. "Nico," She said. "I don't think I can h-handle this anymore. I mean, I-I've been going through this for almost four years. I've never b-been more scared than since my... P-Papa d-died."

"I need help... I..." She faced Nico with watery eyes. "I need you..."

Nico opened up his wings and she fell into them. "I'm here... I'm not going to leave you. Ever." He whispered to her. Lani smiled and placed her head on his chest. They rocked back and forth gently together for a while. The sun was high in the sky now.

"We could ask Blu about that website again. Maybe it'll help you." Nico let go of her. "You think so?" Lani asked, sitting up. "It must, 'cuz I'm not exactly a ghost expert."

Lani laughed. "You sounded like Blu there for a moment." "Did I?" Nico smiled. Lani nodded, then stood up. "Come on, let's head on over to Blu's place."

Together they flew out of the hollow, towards Blu's hollow.

* * *

Nico and Lani fluttered and landed in the hollow entrance of Blu and Jewel. Blu was satnding there, trying to break open a pomegrante. "Hey Blu." Nico greeted the blue macaw.

Blu turned and saw the two canaries. "Oh hey. Just a sec." Blu turned back to the pomegrante. "Stupid fruit, it won't open!" He muttered loudly. "Uh... Blu, you're not supposed to open it. You're supposed to cut it open with your beak or talons." Lani pointed out.

"I know, but I don't want to get my talons all sticky with seeds and fruit juice. And Linda just polished my beak last night."

"Wait, Linda POLISHES your beak?" Nico asked confused. "Yeah. She likes to keep it trimmed and healthy. It actually feels nice." Blu replied, banging the pomegrante on the floor. "Unlike those vitamins that she gives me."

"You're _still_ trying to stay sanitary? Man, this is the jungle! You gotta get _used_ to being in nature!"

"Easy for you to say." Blu replied.

"Since when does a macaw take vitamins?" Lani mumbled under her breath. Nico guffawed, but clamped his wing over his beak, trying to hold it in.

Lani smiled and shook her head. "Here, give me that." She flew up to the fruit and with her talons, carefully split the fruit in half. Then, flicking her claws, the remains of the fruit that got stuck to her talons flew off, leaving her talons normal again. Blu grumbled and ate the fruit with a scowl on his face.

"So, where's Jewel and the kids?" Nico asked. "Taking a bath," Blu wiped his beak. "Anyway, did you guys need something?"

"Yeah, we need you to take us back to the Blu Bird Sanctuary and look up that website." Nico explained. "I thought you didn't want to talk about it?" Blu replied, confused.

"Well, I'm ready to go this time." Lani said.

"Okay, but wait a little while until Jewel gets back. I don't want her to worry." And at the right moment, Jewel and the kids flew into the hollow. "Hi Nico, Lani." Jewel greeted the two canaries. "Uncle Nico!" the three kids tackled Nico, hugging him.

"Whoa! Hey you three!" Nico said. "Careful! Watch the bottlecap!" Lani laughed at the sight. Buster, Kinski and Rose got off of Nico and walked away.

"Jewel, can you watch the kids? I have to help Nico again." Blu asked Jewel, who was calming the kids down. "Are you going to take long again?" Jewel asked.

Nico and Lani both stifled their laughs, remembering what happened. "Don't bring that up again..." Blu mumbled sheepishly. Jewel smiled. "Okay, go ahead."

Blu, Nico, and Lani then flew out of the hollow and started heading towards the Blu Bird Sanctuary...

* * *

Chapter 10! We're getting kind of close to the end! About 4 chapters :(

R&R! See ya next time!

~Arristo~


	11. The Solution, and Buttermilk Bisquik

Hey! I am super sorry! I've been so bus, cuz I'm preparing to go to California for July, and things have been happening, but here's to make it up.

* * *

Blu looked into the window, checking for anyone inside. Nico and Lani were with him, waiting. "See anyone?" Nico asked. "Yeah, there's someone in there. He's leaving though..."

Blu saw the man get up and leave the room, closing another door behind him. "Okay, he's gone."

The blue macaw came to the door and using his talon, picked at the lock. With a click, the door came open. "Alright." Nico and Lani flew inside, landing on the desk. Blu came in, closing the door almost completely, and came up to the computer.

Blu opened up Google once again and searched for the website, and clicked the _right_ document. "Make sure you got the right one." Nico pointed out.

"I've got it." Blu replied.

Lani snickered at what happened the other day. "Um... Okay, here it goes..." Blu said. He then started reading, "The person who has been traumatized has three ways to win a million dollars at the Ipanema Casino for fifty-nine... wha-?"

Nico looked at the screen and almost fell down with laughter. "Blu, you're reading a money ad..." he said, laughing. Blu did a double take and face palmed. Lani grasped onto her beak trying not to laugh. Blu rubbed his head and scrolled down.

"Continuing!" Blu eyed the two canaries. They both saw this and stopped laughing at once. Lani rolled her eyes up to the ceiling, whistling. Nico just fiddled with his bottlecap, acting innocent.

"_Anyway_, person's been traumatized, blah blah blah... Alright, there are three ways that are the most helpful for the victim as seen below. There is also two more that may be helpful too. Okay Lani, ready?"

"Yeah, one thing first." Lani replied, coming up to the blue macaw. "What?" Blu asked. "Do not tell me anything that has to do with my dignity, because I'm pretty sure you know that answer."

Blu nodded silently. "Yeah... Okay here it goes..."

"One, you can either move out of the place where victim has been traumatized, or is experiencing it again at the time. If already done so, then do best to keep event out of the person's mind."

"I ain't leaving Rio. And I don't have that kind of time."

"Two, you can just face it head on."

"I kinda already done that..."

"And three, if the victim has any possesion that was there at any time at the day the victim had been traumatized, then he/she must let it go, and all memories of it will fade from it."

Lani was silent on this one. "That's a maybe. What else is there?"

Blu looked at the screen again, and continued.

"Four, the victim can bathe in hot Buttermilk Bisquik-"

"What. the. heck. is. Bisquik...?"

"And five, instead of Bisquik, you can bathe in tomato sauce... Oh wait, that's for getting rid of skunk smell..."

"... You're kidding, right?"

Nico shook his head. "That's a very weird site..." "Tell me about it." Lani chuckled. "So, you said that number three was a maybe, so, do you have something?"

"Yeah, I think, but it might at my hollow." Lani said. Suddenly, there was a series of clicks. The three turned and saw the door opening. "Well, I'm out." Lani darted out.

"Adios!" Nico tipped his bottlecap and zoomed out as well.

Blu quickly clicked the mouse and flew out too. Just then, a man with light brown hair, with a name tag that read: Dr. Erik. walked in and came to the computer, clicking the mouse. The website showed up. Dr. Erik stared at the screen weirdly, before looking at the casino ad. A wide grin formed on his face, before he shouted...

"Damien! Jorge! Get your suits! I'm feeling lucky!"

* * *

"I wonder if I have it still..." Lani fluttered into the hollow and came up to her nest. There, she began searching. Nico came in after her, and said, "What are we looking for exactly?"

"It's like a charm, from those braclets that most of the humans have..." Lani replied, not looking up. "Ah..." Nico nodded.

"Hang on..." Lani pulled a stick off. "There!"

Nico looked over her shoulder as Lani pulled out a tiny charm, tied to a twig. The charm was sparkly with diamonds, silver, and shaped like a heart. "What's that?" Nico asked.

Lani looked down carefully at the charm. "It was a gift from both of my parents. They had found this in the city, and gave it to me. This is the last thing that I have from them."

"So, that's the one?"

"I guess... But... I don't know if I can give this up..." Lani looked at her charm, the picture of her mom, and papa.

Nico placed his wing on her shoulder. "I'm here with you. Besides, you have to, unless you wanna bathe in Bisquik..." He grinned. Lani giggled. "What is Bisquik anyway?"

"I don't know, ask Blu next time. He's the 'genius' here."

"Anyway, how can I get rid of this? There has to be an easy way..."

"Hmm..." Nico thought for a moment, then came up with an idea. "I got it! Come on." Nico and Lani, holding the charm in her claws, flew out of the hollow.

* * *

So there's that chapter! Wonder what Nico is thinking? Let's hope it doesn't have to do with Bisquik...

R&R! Bye!

~Arristo~


	12. Dark Past Lost

Hello! I'm back from vacation! That's why you haven't heard from me for a while. But here's the chapter! And, two things.

One, I strongly reccomend reading this chapter while listening to this song: The Resurrection Stone by Alexandre Desplat. A sad, and beautiful piece, from Harry Potter. Just open up a new tab and follow the instructions below:

There's two versions you can do. One is the original, from the soundtrack, or look up the Resurrection Stone piano on YouTube and it should be called Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Theme Meldly (inc. Statues) and in the description it should give you the number where he starts playing it on the piano. Both are brilliant, so it doesn't matter

Read it fast or slow, but try to keep the song as long as the chapter, so it'll work. Believe me, you'll thank me later ;)

And during all of that, you may need tissues, cause your eyeball water works may turn on when you're reading this. So, prepare yourself...

* * *

Lani looked down from her perch to the ground from the Christ Redeemer Statue, feeling at bit queasy. Many humans were walking around, some taking pictures, or holding video cameras. It looked like a long way down...

She gulped saying, "Uh, tell me. How I'm going to do this again?"

"All you gotta do is let got of that charm, and hopefully, it'll break or something." Nico explained, standing next to her. With a slight nod, Lani looked back down. Then, she got the charm from her talons and held it in her wing, looking at it one last time.

Extending her wing, she held it, the charm dangling over the edge.

"You can do this... You can do this..." Lani kept whispering to herself. Her eyes wouldn't leave the charm as it hung, swaying gently. She kept taking nice, deep breaths, and tried to let it go, but despite everything, she couldn't let it out of her wing.

"I-I can't..." she said after a minute. "C'mon Lani, you can do this." Nico encouraged her, but he only managed to raise her spirits up by just a little.

"Okay, okay..." Lani whispered. "I can do this..." Maybe if she closed her eyes, it would be less difficult. So she closed her eyes, and started loosening her grip on the charm, bit by bit.

Just as she was going to let it go, she heard a soft whoosh. At first she thought it was just a breeze, but it really didn't feel like that, so she opened her eyes for a moment, and nearly gasped at the sight.

Carol, Derek, Katie, and her papa, Ethan were in front of her, just, right there. Lani gripped her charm tighter again, letting her wing fall to her side, her eyes wide.

"You've been so brave, honey." Ethan smiled. Her Papa's voice rang into her ears like silver bells, as Lani spoke.

"Why are you here? All of you..."

"We never left." Ethan replied.

Nico saw Lani staring out in the open, though there wasn't anything there. But he knew what it was. So he scooted a little further away, staying silent.

Tears were coming to Lani's eyes, but she held them back. Carol piped in, "You have to do it Lani. This is what you have to do."

Her eyes watered up, a lump forming into her throat. "How c-can I? T-this is what I-I have left of Papa and Mom. This is what's left..."

"You gotta do it Lani. All ya gotta do is drop it." Derek spoke with a smirk.

"I-I k-know! But..." Lani sighed, holding her head in one wing, trying not to cry. "Try Lani, try." Katie spoke.

Lani hung her head low, facing her feet. "I-I c-can't..." she said, a few tears escaping her eyes.

"You have to do it baby." A soft, gentle voice then spoke. Lani looked up to see her father and Carol walk a few steps apart and a female canary, who looked almost exactly like her, except her head feathers were longer and came to her shoulders, came forward.

"M-Mom..." Lani said, trembling now. "It's the only way honey." Jean told her. "But, I can't j-just give t-this u-up. T-this is y-your gift..."

"It doesn't matter. It's just a charm." Ethan and Jean said at the same time.

A few more tears slid down her face. Lani's head hung low again, crying slightly and silently. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her mom half-walk, half-float towards her.

Jean extended out her wing and cupped Lani's face into her wing. Even though she was a ghost, Lani could still fell her mother's touch, as it slowly raised her head and she looked into her mother's eyes. "You can do it baby. I know you can."

Lani placed her wing onto Jean's. Unable to hold back any tears, she cried. Her face becamse wet as streams of tears flowed out of her eyes.

"Lani? You okay?" Nico asked as he saw her tears fall. Lani turned to him, then faced her mom again, who gave a nod.

"I-I'll miss you..." Lani murmered to everyone.

"We're always there, and we'll always will be. Even when you'll never see us again." Ethan said.

"Stay strong girl, 'kay?" Derek grinned before vanishing. Katie waved, smiling, and disappeared too, leaving Carol, Ethan, and Jean.

"Goodybye Lanikai. But just for now..." Carol spoke, and then faded away. Ethan and Jean stayed.

"You know, that fellow over there is pretty handsome. I know'll he'll be there for you." Ethan assured. "Just remember, he's not as handsome as me!"

Lani smiled, shaking her head. But then it faded away as she looked at her charm again.

"Nico," she called softly. "I-I need your help."

Hearing this, he walked up to her. He grasped her free wing into his. They faced each other for a moment, before Lani turned away.

"On the count of three, okay?" Nico said. Lani nodded, not taking her eyes off of anyone in front of her. They both smiled at her, waiting.

"One..."

Lani closed her eyes to prevent anymore tears. Her grip on the charm grew even tighter. "You can do it sweetheart." Jean assured her gently. Ethan nodded.

"Two..."

"Stay close to me...' Lani whispered, sending the message to everyone.

"Always..." Jean whispered back to her. And even with her eyes closed, Lani could see her mom and papa come side by side, together, watching her, forever.

Lani let one last tear fall and as she took a deep breath...

"Three."

She let it go.

Nico watched the charm as it plummeted to the ground. Down, down, down, down, until with a small tink, it reached it's destination. None of the humans below noticed the small thing.

A human boy walked by and kicked the charm without noticing, and it skidded away, and was out of sight, forever. There was no point on searching for it.

The deed was done.

Nico turned back to Lani, who slowly opened her eyes. "Is it... Is it gone?" she asked, her voice shaking. "Gone." Nico simply said.

She nodded. A big part of her came out of her body, and she felt more relaxed. She looked around her. No one was there except the beautiful scenery. But she somehow didn't feel joyful as she thought she would. The tears came back and they streamed down her face.

"Hey," Nico wrapped Lani in an embrace. "It's all done. You're okay."

She continued crying. Nico had her stand in front of him, her head hung low. "Hey," Nico cupped her face into his wing, like Jean had done, and held up her head, so they faced each other.

Lani opened her eyes to see a pair of chocolate brown eyes staring into hers. Nico wiped her tears away, using his wing. Relief flushed into her at once as he did that.

With a sigh, she calmed down, feeling slightly better. Nico smiled and gently nudged her. "C'mon, Let's go get Pedro. We're performing tonight at the club."

Together, side by side, they flew into the direction of Nico and Pedro's hollow, while the words of her and her mother playing in her mind.

"Stay close to me..."

"Always..."

* * *

Sad huh?

There it is. The final chapter will be up after this one! Sadness! Waaaaaaah! :(

R&R! And see ya in the final chapter!

~Arristo~


	13. A Bright Future Found

Hey everybody! A very fast update! Well, this is it. The final chapter. I can't believe it's finally coming to the end! :( But I've enjoyed this ride! And this is the most exciting chapter yet! ;D

Also, you guys like my cover? I drew it myself :)

And so, I give you, the Final Chapter.

* * *

The club, as usual, was filled with birds, dancing around. Nico, Pedro, and Lani came in through the entrance. They flew up to the stage, and Lani came in the front row of the stage.

Everyone cheered as Nico and Pedro waved to the crowd.

"Who's ready for our song tonight?" Pedro called out. His response was screams and cheers.

The lights dimmed, while a spotlight shone on Nico. Then he sang,

_Give me a second_  
_I need to get my story straight_  
_My friends are in the bathroom getting_  
_higher than the Empire State_

_My lover, she's waiting for me_  
_Just across the bar_  
_My seat's been taken by some sunglasses_  
_Asking 'bout a scar and_

Another spotlight appeared and Pedro sang the next verse

_I know I gave it to you months ago_  
_I know you're trying to forget_  
_But between the drinks and subtle things_  
_The holes in my apologies_  
_You know I'm trying hard to take it back_

They both appeared, singing together.

_So if by the time the bar closes_  
_And you feel like falling down_  
_I'll carry you home_

The spotlights disappeared and for a moment, it was dark. But then lights filled the whole club, which got everyone moving as Nico and Pedro sang together,

_Tonight_  
_We are young_  
_So let's set the world on fire_  
_We can burn brighter_  
_Than the sun_

_Tonight_  
_We are young_  
_So let's set the world on fire_  
_We can burn brighter_  
_Than the sun_

Nico patted his bottlecap along with the beat, singing by himself,

_Now I know that I'm not_  
_All that you got_  
_I guess that I_  
_I just thought maybe we could find new ways to fall apart_  
_But our friends are back_  
_So let's raise a cup_  
_Cause I found someone to carry me home_

Pedro then joined in,

_Tonight_  
_We are young_  
_So let's the set the world on fire_  
_We can burn brighter_  
_Than the sun_

_Tonight_  
_We are young_  
_So let's set the world on fire_  
_We can burn brighter_  
_Than the sun_

_Carry me home tonight_  
_Just carry me home tonight_  
_Carry me home tonight_  
_Just carry me home tonight_

_The world is on my side_  
_I have no reason to run_  
_So will someone come and carry me home tonight_  
_The angels never arrived_  
_But I can hear the choir_  
_So will someone come and carry me home_

The lights when dim, and the spotlights again faced Nico and Pedro

_Tonight_  
_We are young_  
_So let's set the world on fire_  
_We can burn brighter_  
_Than the sun_

Then the lights came back on again and Nico and Pedro sang louder

_Tonight_  
_We are young_  
_So let's set the world on fire_  
_We can burn brighter_  
_Than the sun_

_So if by the time the bar closes_  
_And you feel like falling down_  
_I'll carry you home, tonight..._

The lights dimmed for effect as the song ended. Nico and Pedro stroke a pose, and the club cheered wildly, ther lights returning to normal. "Thank you!" Pedro called out, breathing heavily from the song and dancing. The crowd died down and Nico stepped forward.

"Okay, I'm gonna sing a solo, with Pedro playing this little guitar here," Nico showed Pedro in front of a small metal hanger with strings attatched. Pedro grinned and waved. Rolling his eyes, Nico continued on, "I'm sure you all know this song, so you're all gonna like it. Especially, the one who I'm dedicating to."

A small spotlight shone on Lani, taking her by surprise. Nico smiled at her. "This is for you honey."

Most of the crowd awed. Lani smiled. Nico nodded to Pedro, and Nico started whistling a tune. Pedro strummed the metal guitar as Nico kept whistling. Then, taking off his bottlecap, he patted it like a tambourine and started singing,

_Wasn't really thinkin', wasn't lookin' , wasn't searching_  
_for an answer_  
_In the moonlight_  
_When I saw your face_

Most of the birds cheered. They knew this song, so they started dancing along.

_Saw you lookin' at me, saw you peeking out from under_  
_moon beams_  
_Through the palm trees_  
_Swayin' in the breeze_

_I know, I'm feelin' so much more than ever before_  
_And so I'm giving more to you, than I though I could do_

Lani could feel her heart soaring as he sang the words. She hadn't felt this in a long time...

_Don't know how it happened, don't know why, but you don't really _  
_need a reason_  
_When the stars shine_  
_Just to fall in love_

_Made to love each other, made to be together, for a life time_  
_In the sunshine_  
_Flying in the sky_

She swayed along with the song, eyes closed lightly. Nico kept singing, smling.

_I know, I'm feelin' so much more, than ever before_  
_And so, I'm giving more to you, than I thought I could do_  
_Ooh..._

_Now I know love is real_  
_Soaring sky high, as the angels try_  
_Letting you and I_  
_Fly love_

Nico, now facing Lani, finished the words and Pedro strummed the last of the guitar notes. The crowd whooped and cheered as Nico took a bow. Lani had tears of joy in her eyes. Wiping them away, she flew up and gave him a hug. Everyone awed.

"Thank you so much," Lani half cried, half said happily. They pulled away and faced each other. "I got something for you too." She said quietly.

Nico, surprised, flew to the bottom of the stage in the front row, Pedro right next to him. Lani smiled, saying, "Okay everyone, I'm singing too, and I know you're gonna love this song. So, get ready!"

Then, a hip-hop kind of beat started playing. The lights fell dim, except for a bright spotlight that was on Lani. The beat played for a few moments, and then she started singing.

_Clocks strikes upon the hour, and the sun begins to fade  
Still enough time to figure out, how to chase my blues away  
I've done alright up till now, it's the light of day that shows me how  
And when the night falls, loneliness calls_

Then, the club was filled with many brightly colored lights. The birds started dancing in the crowd. Lani even danced on the stage herself.

_Oh, I wanna dance with somebody,  
I wanna feel the heat with somebody  
Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody,  
with somebody who loves me  
_

_Oh, I wanna dance with somebody,  
I wanna feel the heat with somebody  
Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody,  
with somebody who loves me__  
__  
I've been in love and lost my senses, spinnin' through the town  
Sooner or later the fever ends and I wind up feeling down  
I need a man to take a chance, on a love that burns hot enough to last  
__So when the night falls, my lonely heart calls_

Withought warning, Lani held her wing out to Nico, who took it unexpectedly, and she pulled him up to the stage, and they started dancing together, while she kept singing,  
_  
Oh, I wanna dance with somebody,  
I wanna feel the heat with somebody  
Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody,  
with somebody who loves me_

_Oh, I wanna dance with somebody,  
I wanna feel the heat with somebody  
Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody,  
with somebody who loves me_

Nico twirled her and she spun around, swaying her hips with her beat, as well as moving along with Nico.

_Somebody, who, somebody, who, somebody who loves me baby_  
_Somebody, who, somebody, who, to hold me in his arms, oh_  
_I need a man who'll take a chance_  
_On a love that burns hot enough to last_  
_So when the night falls, my lonely heart calls_

_Oh, I wanna dance with somebody,  
__I wanna feel the heat with somebody  
Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody,  
I wanna feel the heat with somebody_

_Oh, I wanna dance with somebody,  
I wanna feel the heat with somebody  
Oh, I wanna dance with somebody,  
I wanna feel the heat with somebody  
Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody,  
with somebody who loves me_

Nico spun Lani one more time before he dipped her, holding them in the pose as she finished her lyrics with a long, high note. But the music kept playing, even though it should've ended by now.

But everyone knew why it was still going. They were all waiting, looking at the two.

Nico and Lani were literally face to face, just mere inches away. They were staring into each other's eyes, completely unaware of any other thing in their surroundings. Their beaks were inches away, getting closer, and closer, and closer, until...

The crowd went insane and screamed with joy as Nico and Lani kissed, beaks locked, and eyes closed.

Pedro smiled, "I knew it!" he said happily. "I just knew it!"

The canaries pulled away and stood straight, facing each other. Nico was grinning broadly, while Lani's heart filled with joy and she smiled. They faced the crowd and both bowed together, wing in wing. Then, they fluttered down to Pedro, while another samba song started playing and the club resumed their dancing.

"That was awesome!" Pedro exclaimed. "I knew you two would end up together, I knew it!"

Nico rolled his eyes, while Lani chuckled.

"And what about you? You're gotta find someone!" Nico asked. Pedro was about to answer when, a sun conure, an amazon parrot, and a zebra finch, all female, walked by. Pedro saw them, eyes in a daze. They saw him and giggled to one another before walking away. Pedro saw this and slid his crest back, and with a dashing grin, he said, "Watch and learn, from the master!" and he went off after the trio. Nico and Lani looked at each other, confused.

"Look's like you jinxed it." Lani chuckled. "Oh well." Nico rolled his eyes, shrugging. "I bet he won't get any of them." Lani said.

"Yeah right! There's three of them. Odds are, one of them is bound to like him, or something..." Nico replied. "Then it's a bet." Lani grinned.

So they waited, and while they did, Nico talked to one of the birds nearby, who was a friend. Lani watched as Pedro talked to the group of birds.

Then she saw something and she nearly died of laughter. "Nico, look." Lani nudged to Nico, who turned and looked in the direction of where Lani was pointing.

Pedro was talking to the girls, mostly the Conure in front, and looked as if he was offering them to dance, but then he leaned forward. The Conure's eyes grew wide and her expression turned angry. The other two looked shocked. Then, the Conure slapped Pedro with her wing, and she huffed, and they all walked away.

"Aw man..." Nico sighed. Lani couldn't help but giggling hard, covering her face with her wing.

"I probably deserved that..." Pedro came up to them, rubbing his cheek in where the bird had slapped him. "Wow, I learned _so_ much from the master!" Lani laughed. "Bah, those girls couldn't see my true potential." Pedro scoffed.

"What'd you say to them anyway?" Nico asked. "I was trying to do 'Crazy Love Hawk'! But they just got mad!" Pedro replied. "Well, that explains it!" Lani said. "Explains what?" Pedro asked, confused.

"You were making all those weird moves and then five seconds later, you tried to kiss her!"

"Really Pedro? You are _so_ like Blu!"

"Am not!"

"Then what the heck happened?"

"Well... She just didn't see the true form of Crazy Love Hawk!"

"That's a lie."

Pedro sighed, giving up. "It is a lie."

The canaries laughed. Pedro shrugged. "Oh well, I'll find someone."

"Just make sure 'The Master and Crazy Love Hawk' doesn't get you slapped again." Lani laughed, making Pedro scowl.

* * *

Hours later, the three flew back to Nico and Pedro's hollow. The moon was out and the tiny stars twinkled in the night.

Lani was going to stay the night with them. She didn't feel like going back to her own hollow. In fact, after tonight, she felt like her hollow was someone else's now. She felt that this was her home now.

The minute they landed in the hollow, Pedro flopped down into the nest, saying "Well, goodnight!" briefly and started snoring away.

"Is he always like this?" Lani asked, confused. "After coming home from the club, yes." Nico replied. Lani giggled and Nico pulled out a spare nest, which was occasionally used for guests, or when Pedro shoved Nico out of the nest even though he was asleep.

"Here you go." Nico placed the nest down, not far from where Pedro's nest was. Lani stepped in carefully and laid down, and scooted over a little more. Nico stepped in carefully and laid down next to her. He took off his bottlecap and placed it right next to the nest. Relaxing, he sighed and closed his eyes, but then opened them again and faced Lani, who was still awake, staring at the ceiling.

"Aren't you gonna sleep?" Nico asked quietly. "I don't know..." Lani mumbled.

"Why?"

"I just..."

"Just what?"

Lani sighed. "It's just... I'm not sure if I can go to sleep. I'm scared. I got rid of it, but, what if it haunts me still?"

"Lani, I'm sure it's gone." Nico said, sitting up.

"But, the nightmares, like the one I've told you about, if I go to sleep, they might come again."

Nico didn't reply, yet he knew what she was talking about. An idea popped into his mind and he smiled. "Well, I know just how to fix that." He got up, placed his bottlecap back on, and helped Lani to her feet, and silently, they came outside of the hollow.

Perching on a branch, in the full view of the full moon and it's beams in the background, he held his wing out, Lani doing the same, and they grasped. He placed his other wing around her waist, while with her free wing, she placed it on his shoulder. Together, they swayed, slowly, while somewhere, someplace, a piano played, and then, Nico started singing.

_It's like a storm_  
_That cuts a path_  
_It's breaks your will_  
_It feels like that_

_You think your lost_  
_But your not lost on your own_  
_Your not alone_

Nico spun Lani and returning to their original form, they slowly danced around the branch, just like they did when Nico sung to Lani when she told her story. Ballroom dancing.

_I will stand by you_  
_I will help you through_  
_When you've done all you can do_  
_If you can't cope  
__I will dry your eyes_  
_I will fight your fight_  
_I will hold you tight_  
_And I won't let go_

_It hurts my heart_  
_To see you cry_  
_I know it's dark_  
_This part of life_

Lani felt her heart fluttering again and she spun around and kept dancing.

_Oh it finds us all_  
_And we're too small_  
_To stop the rain_  
_Oh but when it rains_

_I will stand by you_  
_I will help you through_  
_When you've done all you can do_  
_And you can't cope_  
_I will dry your eyes_  
_I will fight your fight_  
_I will hold you tight_

_And I won't let you fall_  
_Don't be afraid to fall_  
_I'm right here to catch you_

At that time, Nico spun her and dipped her. She felt her stomach jump for a moment as he did, but she felt safe in his wings. He got her back up and they danced.

_I won't let you down_  
_It won't get you down_  
_You're gonna make it_  
_Yeah I know you can make it_

_Cause I will stand by you_  
_I will help you through_  
_When you've done all you can do_  
_And you can't cope_

Tears of joy sprang to her eyes and they slid down her face. She closed her eyes, placing her head down slightly. Nico wiped her tears away and she opened them, looking back up, then they continued dancing gracefully in the moonlight.

_And I will dry your eyes  
__I will fight your fight_  
_I will hold you tight_  
_And I won't let go_

_Oh I'm gonna hold you_  
_And I wont let go_  
_Won't let you go_  
_No I won't_

Nico spun Lani one more time before they faced each other, holding wings. They placed their foreheads together, swaying back and forth gently, while the moon brightened the sky.

"Better?" Nico asked. Lani nodded with a slight smile. They stood up straight and walked back inside, wing in wing. Together they laid down in the nest.

Again, Nico took off his bottlecap and placed it by the nest. Then, he closed his eyes. But they came open again as he remembered something. "Hey," he said. Lani sat up. "What?"

Nico reached over behind him and pulled out a small, red flower. "This is for you. Since you're pink one is gone, I thought you want another one."

Lani smiled and placed it carefully in her head feathers. "Thanks." They laid back down, but Lani took one last peek outside, staring at the sky.

"No ghosts, right?" Nico asked, eyes closed, falling asleep.

"No ghosts." Lani replied. She laid down again and slowly, she closed her eyes, entering a wonderful dream.

All was well.

* * *

There you go guys! The finale! It's official love for these two!

Thank you all for reading, especially ~Emk, ILOVENICO1000X, and Sierra strike. And the rest of you are awesome too! Thank you very much!

Anyway, I don't own the songs used in here:

We Are Young by Fun, Fly Love by Nico himself :D, I Wanna Dance By Whitney Houston, and I Won't Let Go by Rascal Flatts.

This is not the last time you see me! I'm gonna be around for more! There may even be a sequel... (shifty eyes)

So R&R, and see ya!

~Arristo~


End file.
